Almost from the beginning of pinball in the early 1930s
(there were a few pinball-like games before that, but we'll leave
those to Dick Bueschel) a recurring problem encountered by the
"pinball industry" has been anti-gambling forces. This was
partly due to the fact that a major product of the coin machine
industry in the Thirties was the "bell slot machine", which was
certainly a gambling machine, and many people opposed to gambling
were suspicious of all coin operated devices.

As a result, for many years to come, pinballs had to be
defended as being "amusement" and not "gambling" devices. But,
as we shall see, many pingames were made to be used for gambling,
others made so they could be used for gambling, if desired, and
some made to minimize, as much as possible, their potential
gambling uses.

Before we look at the characteristics of various types of
pingames, and their relation to gambling, lets consider what is
meant by the term "gambling" and its connection to "games" in
general. My dictionary defines a "game" as "an amusement or
pastime", and also as "a contest for amusement in the form of a
trial of chance, skill, or endurance, according to set rules."
Pingames certainly fit these definitions because they are used
for amusement, have both the elements of chance and skill, and
are played to a "set of rules". Gambling is defined as "playing
a game of chance for stakes" or as "to stake or risk money, or
anything of value, on the outcome of something involving chance".

As you can see from these definitions, "chance" is a key
element of gambling and can also be present in many games, and
this was the connection used in most anti-pinball legal hassles.
In many legal cases the fate of pinball in a particular
jurisdiction was determined by how a court ruled on the degree of
"chance" (usually versus "skill") which was present in pingames.

As a sidelight to this discussion of pingames and gambling,
there was an "editorial" on the subject appearing in the July 4,
1936 issue of BILLBOARD magazine which presented some interesting
comparisons between pinball "awards" and "skill awards" connected
with other popular recreations. The column was titled "Pinball
Perils", with the byline of "Silver Sam" (this was obviously a
pseudonym, but that name appeared frequently in the coin machine
section of BILLBOARD).

This article was written in the form of a conversation
between the writer (Sam) and a lawyer friend of his (a pinball
"fan") supposidly precipitated by an article appearing in a local
newspaper about a "crusader" trying to outlaw pinball games as
gambling devices. The lawyer defended pinball "awards" by
comparing them with "skill awards" given in everyday games such
as golf (for making a "hole in one"), and bowling (for a "perfect
game"). He said that in these games, which were certainly not
considered gambling games, as well as pinball, the player paid a
"fixed fee" to participate in the game and that the special
"awards" were given for extremely skillful play which he likened
to "high score awards" provided by some pingames.

He went on to say that the only difference between the golf
or bowling "awards" and pinball "awards" was that the former are
quite difficult to obtain, while the latter are quite a bit
easier for a skillful pinball player. He stated "any judge who
rules against games is saying in effect 'it is illegal to play
pingames because the skill awards can be won too often'". This
lawyer even compared receiving a "skill award" for pinball to a
lawyer taking a lawsuit on a "contingency basis" and being paid
("awarded") a percentage of the court award if he was "skillful"
enough to win a judgement.

I thought that article had some interesting points when it
came to the anti-pinball gambling furor prevalent, especially in
the 1930s. One thing that he failed to mention, in connection
with games such as golf and bowling, was that "side bets" often
occur in games such as these which is also another type of
gambling that can, and sometimes does, occur in connection with
pinball. But, I guess that was a "negative" connection in the
context of the article.

automatic world magazine

Shamrock countertop pingame

In the early Thirties, when mechanical, mostly counter-top,
pingames began to appear they were probably not often used for
gambling. Side bets might have occurred between players, and in
a few instances, I suppose, establishments having these games may
have given "awards" of merchandise or cash for high scores.
Right off hand, however, I do not know of any early mechanical
pingames which had a form of direct payout mechanism, although
there may have been a few.